The Path of Our Tomorrows
by Lychee Green Tea
Summary: In a time so corrupt with hatred and animosity, one person really can make all the difference. It may not be to the world, but to shaping all the morals and beliefs of one Trunks Briefs. Mirai timeline. GhVi
1. To Be Free

Thanks so much to Ms. Videl Son and ShadowMajin for beta-reading this! MVS had started beta-ing this about a few years ago, but then I went through a writer's block (mine tend to last a while...hah), changed this story a whole lot, and then ShadowMajin took over the beta process. You two are seriously the best!

**Chapter 1: To Be Free**

Destroyed cities were nothing new to Trunks, and this one was no different. Places people remembered with fondness lay collapsed on the ground and the occasional glimpse of a dead body would appear time to time. Those who were caught point blank in the blasts were to be considered lucky, but those who were crushed by falling buildings and left alive were the unlucky ones. They were the ones who survived, only to suffer from losing their loved ones and all types of possible trauma: losing limbs, half their bodies, and a lot of the times, their sanity. It was during those times that Trunks actually wished death upon these individuals simply out of mercy and pity.

Trunks took in every detail of his surroundings one last time and ran back towards his only male role model. As his steps quickened and his strides grew longer, the figure of a muscular, dark-haired man came into his view. Clad in a blue and orange gi was Gohan and he was currently surrounded by a small and haggard looking crowd of survivors.

"Did you find any more people?" Gohan asked, not taking his eyes off the small group.

Trunks shook his head, but they were both quite surprised to have found so many healthy survivors from this city. The androids must have been getting sloppy.

"Don't worry," Gohan began."We'll get you all to shelters and you'll be safe there."

"Not for long," one of the survivors, a burly**-**looking man in his thirties, replied hopelessly. "They'll get us eventually."

"Think like that and they _will_ get you," Gohan said in a matter-of-fact tone. "Don't ever abandon hope. Life should be cherished, not tossed aside. Optimism is what will get you through these times."

The man appeared to be silenced in an instant, apparently in deep thought. Gohan was getting pretty good with those speeches, Trunks noted. It was a gift that Trunks hadn't quite mastered yet because all he ever seemed to do was make people cry.

"I wonder where she is," Trunks mused aloud as he looked around in the sky for a hover copter.

"She should be here soon," the dark-haired man reassured.

As if on cue, a yellow hover copter with the Capsule Corp. logo came into view in the sky and slowly made its descent. Gohan and Trunks had purposefully picked a flat spot so it was easier to land the copter.

"So Gold Boy and Potential Gold Boy Two, how many survivors do we have this time?" the raven-haired woman greeted oh so fondly with her endearing nicknames. Trunks smiled.

"We've got six, Videl. Think they can all fit?" Gohan responded, his expression not even wavering in the least from his stern demeanour. Of course, any other time the older half-saiyan would actually joke back, but he would never do so after the androids destroyed yet another city, no matter where he was. Trunks knew even at that moment, Gohan was still on the look-out for those monsters.

"Well, it'll be cramped but it's doable. There usually aren't so many," Videl remarked as she lifted a finger to her chin in thought. She took a glimpse at the group of survivors and she immediately turned away before she started to stare, sighing. "You'd think after all these years we'd get used to this."

"Absolutely not," Gohan affirmed loudly, almost as though he were offended by those words. Videl jumped in surprise as her head jerked in the direction of Gohan's voice. What she said wasn't meant to be heard, but Trunks and Gohan were gifted with exceptional hearing. "Why would we have to get used to this if mankind shouldn't even deserve it in the first place?"

Trunks and Videl were silenced; the young boy had nothing to respond to that and he knew that Videl didn't either. As Gohan moved to help the group of survivors into the copter, Trunks hesitantly approached Videl.

"You know I won't bite, squirt," Videl teased with a struggling smile. "What's up?"

"Just wondering how you guys are doing these days. I haven't really seen either of you in a while. I mean, I just happened to run into Gohan after the androids got to this place."

He actually hadn't even seen the other half-saiyan for an entire month before he bumped into Gohan. Trunks used to hear that Gohan was gone for days at a time before returning home to his mother in the mountain region, although that really wasn't true anymore since Gohan had stopped going back altogether. Instead, he drifted around the world, never staying in one place for too long.

"I _was_ wondering what you were doing in a place like this when I saw you. Bulma's probably gonna kill you when you get home."

"Don't remind me," Trunks grumbled. "Hey, can I ask you a favour? Do you think you could talk Gohan into stopping by Capsule Corp. after we're done here?"

The woman furrowed her eyebrows together in confusion. "Well, I guess I could, but why?"

"There's something I wanna talk to Gohan about. Oh, and if my mom comes home before we're done, do you think you could distract her a bit?"

"That's a really strange request, but I suppose I can manage it."

"Thanks Videl! I-"

"But you owe me something. One of the new hover copters your mom's been working on would be great. I'm pretty sure there's one that can sit people and still have room for stretchers. And can you ask her to install medical equipment focused on trauma injuries? Thanks Trunks!"

"What? But they're not even…," Trunks started to say, but Videl had already walked off, "…finished yet."

Trunks mumbled incoherent words to himself as he motioned to a couple huddled together to follow him into the copter when he heard someone's cry for help off into the distance.

"Gohan!" he cried immediately. The older half-saiyan rushed outside after hearing the distress in Trunks' voice.

"What's wrong?" he asked, but his answer had already come when the unknown man's screaming became loud enough for them both to hear. "It came from this way. Let's go!"

It didn't take too long for the two half-saiyans to find the source of the voice. Even though the ki signature was weak, they were both able to easily follow their senses. It was a man who looked to be in his forties lying on his stomach, crushed by the remains of a nearby building.

"Help…me…," he managed to say.

"Hang on, I'll get this thing off you," Trunks said bravely.

"Wait, Trunks…," Gohan began, but it was already too late. The young man had already lifted the rubble that was crushing the anonymous man with his remarkable super human strength, but he regretted it the instant he saw what was underneath.

When the man saw the shocked expression on Trunks' face and the pained look that Gohan gave him, he turned to see what they were looking at. And then he screamed.

"Please, _please_ help me!" he wailed, tears falling rapidly down his face. "_Help me_! I'm gonna die! I'm gonna…"

"Just…just hang on. We're gonna go get you to a doctor," Trunks tried to console, but his own face was already as pale as snow.

"No! I don't wanna…_just kill me now! _Please just kill me now. I'm gonna die…"

Trunks moved forward to help but Gohan held him back firmly as he laid one hand over the young boy's eyes. All Trunks could do was cry.

* * *

><p>Trunks plopped himself down at the kitchen table of what was left of the Capsule Corporation building, feeling far too old for his young age of fourteen. Gohan stood as he stared out of the window towards the sunset. He was clearly in deep thought, but Trunks wasn't really sure what he was thinking about.<p>

"What the androids have done to this world is horrible," Trunks started. "I may not know what it's like to live peacefully, but I do know that living in constant fear is not life. That's why I want to make a difference."

Trunks paused, spending the time trying to organize his thoughts. A glance towards Gohan's direction told him that his fellow half-saiyan hadn't moved a single inch and his face was still as passive as ever. It kind of figured that Trunks didn't even get a small hint as to what Gohan's answer might have been when he realized it _was_ Gohan he was speaking with.

"Please train me, Gohan," Trunks pleaded. "Please, you have to! I want to fight and make a difference in this world!"

For a long while, the older man still did not answer. He merely stood by the window, gazing into the sunset as if he had heard nothing. Trunks waited for his answer nonetheless because he knew that Gohan had heard him. It was only a matter of time before he came to a decision.

Trunks didn't know how long they were like that; Gohan standing firmly, thinking, and Trunks sitting at the table waiting patiently (or perhaps it was impatiently). It could have been seconds, it could have been minutes, it could have been hours. And he waited.

"You're pitiful," Gohan finally said. Well, Trunks wasn't exactly expecting that one. He could see Gohan smirk through his reflection in the window. "Just like me when I was your age. Did you know I wasn't allowed to train with my father when I was younger?"

It was a rhetorical question, but Trunks shook his head anyways. His gaze remained on Gohan, telling him that he was still expecting an answer.

"I guess I'll train you," Gohan said.

"Thank you, Gohan! I won't-"

"It'd be hard to say no to such a pathetic face," Gohan continued with a wide smirk. Trunks scowled in annoyance, looking away from Gohan. The man chuckled audibly and stepped towards the young teenager with a genuine smile instead and ruffled his hair. "I know you won't let me down, Trunks," he said gently, and Trunks couldn't help but smile himself.

The click of the door and the loud squeak of rusty hinges informed the two half-saiyans that there was someone entering the building. Trunks didn't even have to sense the ki signature to tell that it was his mother. Well, at least Videl was able to hold her off long enough for Gohan to agree to train him. They could hear the younger woman going off about a new hover copter with a stronger engine.

The blue-haired woman stepped into view of the lounge and she peeked over her grocery bag to see Trunks seated at the table.

Trunks could've sworn he saw his mother look relieved for a second, and it was reasonable since he knew she was worried. The only thing that kept him thinking it was just his imagination was how quickly the look disappeared and changed to anger.

"So the blockhead is still alive. Do you plan to get yourself killed soon? There's a nice dress I saw today that would be perfect for your funeral," Bulma said quite harshly.

Trunks didn't even know how to answer that one, so he smartly glued his mouth together and didn't dare utter a sound.

"And Gohan's here as well. How are you doing?" Bulma asked.

"I'm fine," Gohan replied with a nod.

Bulma sighed. "I actually knew you'd be here when I saw Videl waiting for me downstairs," she started, "which is when I started to get this crazy idea. Something along the lines of, what if my son and Gohan are plotting something _stupid_ behind my back?"

"Uh…"

"Of course, you're both way too smart to do anything _stupid_, so there's really nothing to worry about."

Trunks couldn't help but wonder how fake that smile was.

"Of course not, mom…," he trailed off, forcing a laugh out.

Videl stepped into the kitchenalongside Bulma with another grocery bag in her arms. Bulma had already placed her own bag on the kitchen counter and she wordlessly took the one from Videl's hands to unblock her vision.

"Do you want to put on a movie while I start dinner?" Bulma asked casually, because she was always trying to get him to do as many normal things as possible.

"Um, sure," Trunks replied, obeying without question. Wasn't she angry at him a minute ago? He went through the cabinet where his mother kept all of her old movies. Trunks had actually grown up with chick flicks, what with Bulma Briefs as his mother and all, and Gohan wasn't exactly the type to sit around home watching movies all day.

"I'm glad you both decided to stay for dinner. I hardly ever see you anymore," Bulma commented rather animatedly as she tended to the food in her kitchen. She was cooking for two half-saiyans after all, and there needed to be a constant supply of food for them.

"We're staying for dinner?" Videl asked Gohan quietly.

"It's not like we have a choice in the matter," Gohan replied just as quiet.

Trunks simply snickered.

"We should be thanking you for making all this food for us. Well, for Gohan," Videl replied politely as they sat down to eat.

"Mhm; oh yeah! This really is delicious," Gohan complimented happily as he took a bite of the chicken.

Trunks was eyeing the television every once in a while as he practically inhaled his food since it was playing his favourite romantic drama.

"_Oh, my darling, how I cherish this one meal with you after being parted from my love for so many sleepless nights and exhausting days__,__"_ Romald had said lovingly to his dear Drema half-way through the movie. Trunks practically knew the film word-for-word and it was disheartening to know that they would eventually be separated in a terrible -

"I'm surprised you can tell good food from bad, mister 'I-can't-cook-to-save-my-own-life'," Videl teased. Gohan frowned in mid-bite and his eyebrows furrowed together in irritation.

"_My dear, dear, Romald. How you spoil me with your amorous words and loving touch__,__"_ Drema replied with a longing sigh.

"I can't cook? The last time you tried cooking you gave us both food poisoning!" Gohan argued back defensively.

"_Oh, but how you spoil me with such a wonderful meal! I believe it is a fair bargain indeed." _

"Oh _please_! Your idea of cooking is eating out of a can!" Videl retorted.

Trunks wasn't sure which was more interesting, the movie or the bickering couple he sat with. While he had a soft spot for Romald and Drema's tragic tale, the latter won as most amusing dinner entertainment.

His own enjoyment aside, Trunks couldn't help but wonder if Gohan and Videl really were in love. Couples weren't supposed to act like them, constantly fighting with each other. It just wasn't…normal, especially in comparison to the couple in his favourite movie. He admitted that killer androids and half-aliens weren't normal either (according to his mother anyways; he was still confused about what was normal and what wasn't), but still…

Trunks thought it just wasn't what couples in love were supposed to do. Gohan and Videl hardly ever expressed their feelings or affection for each other from what Trunks had seen. Any onlooker who didn't know them would think they hated each other with the way they acted. Yet, somehow, they were together.

It just didn't fit.


	2. Insight

**Chapter 2: Insight**

Later that night, Gohan and Videl had departed the Capsule Corporation building to retreat to Videl's house. It had taken the pair roughly a quarter of an hour to stop their relentless arguing about the most pointless things, in which time Bulma had decided she needed food herself and sat down at the table with them.

The scientist looked rather amused herself; there was the faintest indication of her lips curling upwards, though her thoughts probably differed from her son's since she was so much more experienced than he.

Trunks was trying to build up the courage to at least ask her opinion on the matter, but building up that courage was the hard part. He was slightly afraid that she would ask why he wanted to know in the first place. Any normal fourteen year old male would shrug it off and not even bother, but Trunks had his own reasons. He took in a deep breath.

To his surprise, Bulma started laughing like he had just said the funniest joke in the world.

"I think you're a little too young to understand what real love is," Bulma said with a gentle smile. After she had calmed down, of course. "They just don't like showing their affection very often, especially in front of other people. I'm not too sure about Videl, but Gohan's been more and more introverted ever since...well, let's just say he was a lot more outgoing when he was a kid. Gohan and Videl may not be the most romantic couple, but it doesn't mean they don't love each other. Love goes far beyond romance."

She was probably right since she was his mother (he always hated it when people thought they were always right, and then they were right). Still, he couldn't quite comprehend what she just said, and then he realized that as a male, he most definitely would not think about the matter anymore and focus on getting some rest. He had training bright and early the next day, after all.

* * *

><p>Assessing Trunks' power. Check.<p>

Start training Trunks to attain the super saiyan level. Check.

Spar with Trunks to assess his martial arts skills. Check.

Throw the kid into a raging whirlpool and let him almost drown. Check, check and check.

Trunks had absolutely no doubt in his mind that was what Gohan had written on his 'to do' list. He was about to add, 'Laugh at Trunks while he's clinging on to dear life' to his imaginary agenda when Gohan broke his train of thought.

"You think I'm hard on you? Piccolo's favourite hobby was throwing me over the side of a cliff, and it was even better whenever there was a hungry dinosaur waiting at the bottom," Gohaninformed himlight-heartedly.

Trunks nodded in return, merely giving a weak murmur in reply. He knew that training with Gohan would be vigorous before he even started, but after sparring with him for a little over an hour, he didn't even think he could keep up anymore. It was absolutely intense and he was grateful there was such a thing as break time.

"Hey Gohan?"

"Mm?" Gohan mumbled casually. He cocked his head to his right to see Trunks fidgeting on top of the rock they had decided to sit on. "What is it, Trunks?" Gohan urged further.

"Well, um…," Trunks started. "You and Videl. Are you close?"

Gohan raised his eyebrow. "Well…," he began carefully, "she _is_ my girlfriend."

"Yeah, but…you two don't really…" Trunks was caught off by Gohan's laughter. That was the second time someone laughed at him within a single week. Was he really that funny or something? Maybe he should try taking up comedy if-

"You gossip too much."

"What?" Trunks cried out in shock. "I don't _gossip_!"

"Sorry, kid, but your mother is Bulma Briefs. If there was ever a queen of gossip, you'd be king."

Speechlessness immediately overcame Trunks. He was not gossiping! The younger half-saiyan started muttering incoherently in great aggravation.

"Why do you want to know, anyways?" Gohan asked suddenly.

Maybe Gohan and Videl weren't that close after all. Gohan was obviously avoiding the question; even going as far as changing the topic. Why didn't he want to say anything? Maybe they didn't even love each other. Maybe they had gotten into so many fights that they realized they weren't meant for each other.

Or maybeTrunks was just being paranoid.

If Gohan and Videl really weren't close at all, then why would they have gotten together in the first place? Trunks had always been clueless when it came to those two. The first time Trunks had met Videl, he had thought she would've made a great sister. He looked up to her and admired her, but he didn't think he would ever see her again with the way she yelled at the man who was practically Trunks' brother. She was pretty scary.

A flick in the forehead brought Trunks' attention back to reality, and he looked to his left to see Gohan eyeing him curiously.

"Oh…um…," Trunks trailed off. "Do you know if my mom and dad ever…erm…spoke to each other like you and Videl?"

Gohan chuckled slightly and answered, "You mean did they argue like us?"

"Um…well…"

"I don't know," Gohan answered. "I'll be honest with you. I didn't even know your mother and father had gotten together until you were about a year old. I don't know how they acted around each other, but I can take a good guess.

"Your father was a proud man. A lot of the times he was too proud, and his arrogance didn't help much either. Not to mention he lacked respect and-"

"Wow, he sounds like a jerk."

"...My opinion might be a little biased. But he was a very cunning and powerful jerk, which made him a dangerous enemy if ever crossed.

"I'd imagine they would definitely argue. A lot. And this isn't the playful banter that Videl and I get into. Knowing both of your parents…well, they wouldn't really get along or agree on a lot of things." Gohan finished, gazing off into the distance as he spoke.

"Did they hate each other?" Trunks suddenly asked. He was listening intently to Gohan's story since he had hardly ever heard much about his father.

"I wouldn't say that. I think your dad was just confused at the time. You know he tried to kill us on more than one occasion, and all of the sudden he's living a normal life with us. I'm sure he did love your mom, but he would never admit that. I don't think even to her."

"So then, is everyone like you guys?"

"What do you mean?" Gohan asked questioningly.

"Well, apparently my mom and dad never got along well, and you and Videl don't get along well, either. Are all couples like you guys?" Trunks queried.

For some reason, that only earned Trunks another flick to the forehead.


	3. To Crash and Burn

**Chapter 3: To Crash and Burn**

Unconsciousness was nothing close to a dreamlike state. Dreams were filled with memories of the past; some were fond, some were not. Some dreams were the most inner desires of the soul; illusions of their hope. The state of unconsciousness was different. Nothing happens; no memories, no illusions, not even darkness or light consume the mind. To the one in the state of unconsciousness, minutes, hours and even days seem like no time at all.

This was what happened to Trunks.

The first thing to register in his mind when he awoke from his dreamless state was the standard question: _"What happened?"_ And then everything flooded into his mind at once.

_Training-attack-city-androids-battle-Eighteen-explosion._ Gohan.

His eyes snapped open. How long had he been out? Trunks had no clue; his mind was half expecting the androids to appear any second, but somehow his body knew it was long enough that they were gone. His body...it was completely fine. Hadn't he been caught in one of the androids' blasts? What…it didn't make sense. Out of confusion, he frantically looked around.

Oh, no.

There was so much _blood_. Was he…was Gohan dead? It just couldn't be. It was impossible. There was no way…no _way_.

Instinct and panic overcame the young teenager as he quickly crawled towards the injured man to check his vitals, but his hands got tangled with a brown sack. It looked familiar, almost like the one Gohan used to carry…

Senzu beans. That explained so much...no wonder his body was in such good condition. An idea struck him, and he hastily reached into the bag to bring out another bean for Gohan. His fingers dug into the cloth of the bag, but they came out with nothing. It was empty.

If it was empty, and Trunks was healed, then…

"Darn it!" Trunks shouted, not knowing what else to do.

He felt so guilty. This never would have happened if he hadn't begged for Gohan to let him enter the battle area. Trunks would never have gotten in his way, and Gohan would never have been so hurt. Trunks looked up to see just how badly wounded the man was and he gasped in shock.

Gohan's arm was _gone_.

Trunks had sometimes seen innocent victims with severed limbs in his – and their – most unfortunate luck. He had been struck with grief at just how much they had lost to the androids, and same said individuals were only strangers to Trunks.

He was overwhelmed with emotions. Horror, grief, guilt, anger, hate, it was all there, but he somehow managed to keep them at bay. He had to set his priorities straight. He had to think with a clear mind or else…

He'd rather not think of the outcome.

* * *

><p>It had taken Trunks longer than he thought to bring Gohan's body back to his home. After making sure that Gohan was still alive for the umpteenth time, he touched down on the dying grass that used to be Capsule Corporation's front lawn and raced through the main corridors with Gohan perched on his back. He managed to find his mother in what was left of the laboratory, and they had the man laying comfortably in a bed not long afterwards.<p>

The doctor, who lived a few blocks away, had barely left his home in a rush when Videl arrived at the scene. In fact, Trunks had just hung up the phone when he saw her stop her copter outside exactly where he had landed.

"Videl!" Trunks called out the window and she raced through the front door to meet him in the lounge.

"What happened? Where's Gohan?" she asked, visibly still out of breath but her voice was filled with urgency.

Trunks silently led the woman to the makeshift infirmary and she followed without any hesitation at all. The way she almost clenched her teeth but kept herself from doing so and the way her eyes shone with unshed tears told Trunks that she was worried.

It was the very first time he had ever seen either Gohan or Videl show any sign of concern for the other and it was…strange. At the moment Videl looked almost foreign to him, but she didn't pay his scrutinizing expression any heed as she raced ahead of Trunks into the only lit room in the hallway.

Trunks followed her inside shortly after and he could see his mother trying to bandage up Gohan's wound to the best of her ability. His eyes widened in shock when he heard Gohan's groan, and upon closer inspection Trunks could tell that Gohan had regained consciousness.

Videl rushed to his side right next to Bulma and Trunks could hear her silently call out his name.

"Are you…? Your arm…! I…Gohan…" Videl managed to say, but she stopped herself from speaking when she sounded close to sobbing.

Gohan's eyes struggled to open, and once they did he took a good look at his girlfriend and let out a ghost of a smile.

"Silly girl," he whispered with difficulty as his hands tightly gripped the blood stained bed sheets. "I won't die so easily."

And then he fell into unconsciousness once again.

* * *

><p>Trunks had run as far away as he could from the infirmary when he had first heard Gohan's scream. Gohan's piercing, torturous, earth-shattering scream. He had never heard Gohan yell so painfully in his entire life, and Trunks hoped that it wasn't something he would have to get used to.<p>

He sat stiffly on the couch in the library by the fireplace, his knuckles completely white from how hard he clenched his fists together on his lap. He wondered why his breathing had become so heavy; he hadn't done anything strenuous in what seemed like days. The purple-haired half-saiyan shut his eyes to try and shut out the deafening sounds but that, somehow, only made it worse.

Approximately two hours later, the screaming had finally stopped.

Nervousness gnawed at Trunks' empty stomach as he forced one foot in front of the other. Come to think of it, he hadn't eaten a single bite in the longest time and his half saiyan appetite really needed some of his mother's cooking, even if it was bad.

He shook his head. No, it was not the time to think of himself and his stomach's desire to be filled. Trunks needed to see Gohan and he was almost positive that the doctor had finished the operation since Gohan's…voice no longer occupied the many hallways.

Taking in a deep breath, Trunks entered the room that was currently only occupied by two persons; one was unconscious, one was clearly not.

It was hard to tell what the raven-haired woman was thinking since her appearance barely relayed any emotion at all. Trunks figured that Videl's face should have been red and puffy from tears she should have shed. But it wasn't. Passive as ever, it was like she was only staring at a blank wall, not her wounded boyfriend.

What the heck had happened to all that concern he'd witnessed earlier? Where did those tears (albeit unshed) go? Trunks was confused. No, he was more than confused, he was-

"Idiot."

The voice of Videl barely registered in his mind. It was merely a soft whisper, and if it weren't for his acute sense of hearing he wouldn't have picked up on it at all.

Videl's eyes were still glued to the figure of Gohan. Bandages covered nearly every inch of his body, including the stump of what remained of his left arm.

"You," Videl began again, her voice not wavering even once, "are such an idiot."

"Is that all you have to say?" Trunks blurted out without even thinking.

A gasp was his reply as her head turned swiftly in his direction. Videl's eyes had widened and her mouth parted ever so slightly; her gaze trained on the standing form of Trunks who stood just at the door. He hadn't really meant for that to come out, but it just…did. He continued, ignoring the slight hesitation that was gnawing at the back of his mind.

"Gohan almost died today, and all you can do is sit there and call him an idiot?" His voice grew louder and more passionate as spoke. Trunks was entirely caught up in the moment. "You don't even care about him!"

And he stopped. The only sound in the room was the faint beeping of the heart monitor and the soft whirring of all of the machines connected to Gohan's body.

Trunks didn't need the venomous glare he was receiving, didn't need the feeling of breathing through steam, to know that he had crossed the line. He would have berated himself for not thinking before speaking but his mind was too frozen to work properly.

"You think I don't care about him?" Her voice was low and deadly, and again it did not tremble in the least. If looks could kill..."Get out."

Trunks winced outwardly. He'd deserved that.

"I said _get out_!"

And, within the blink of an eye, Trunks was out of the room with the door closed behind him.


	4. Sacrificial Lamb

**Chapter 4: Sacrificial Lamb**

To say that dinner was awkward would be the biggest understatement of the century.

Trunks barely even looked up from his plate…or rather, plates, bowls, dishes, and cups. His appetite probably came from his dad. When his mother had insisted on Videl staying for supper, the younger woman politely declined, but when up against Bulma Briefs, manners would only get the poor, unfortunate soul the losing side of the battle. Thus was the reason why Trunks currently hated his stupid, big mouth.

"Ugh!" Bulma cried indignantly, causing both Trunks and Videl to look up from their meals. "You two are such _teenagers_! I swear you're like a pair of siblings ignoring each other over a stupid boy!"

"What? I'm not a kid anymore! I'm a grown woman!"

"What? I don't have crushes on boys, mom!"

Trunks and Videl paused for a moment. Then they slowly turned to face each other and promptly burst out laughing.

"Well, I gotta say Trunks, you do put more effort into your appearance than even some women I used to know," Videl teased with a grin still on her face. "Maybe it'd do you some good to get some more male influences in your life."

"I vehemently deny any and all accusations that you make on this matter," Trunks replied smartly.

His smile soon faded away. He gently set his chopsticks down on top of his bowl. Videl eyed him curiously from the corner of her vision as Trunks looked her seriously in the eyes.

"I'm sorry for what I said, Videl."

She smiled. "Don't worry about a thing, kiddo."

* * *

><p>"Hey Videl?"<p>

"What is it now? I was so close to falling asleep this time," Videl replied, feigning annoyance. Trunks knew she was just kidding. Or at least he hoped she was kidding; Videl was _scary_ when crossed.

As they laid side by side on the rooftop of the Capsule Corp. building during the sunset, Trunks just couldn't help but let his thoughts drift to all sorts of topics.

"Hey squirt, snap out of it before I flick your forehead."

The teenager chuckled. "That's okay; Gohan already does."

"So what's up?"

"Well, I was just thinking really. So, after the androids destroy a city, you go there and try to find survivors, and if you do find some, you help them get to shelters, right?"

"Yep. It's my hobby."

"What a strange hobby. And isn't it really dangerous? What if the androids are still there?"

"It's a risk I'm willing to take."

"But…why?"

"Well, why do you and Gohan insist on fighting the androids?"

"I…I do it because I want to change this world. I wanna make a difference."

"There you go. Those are exactly the same reasons why I do the things I do. I probably won't make as much of a difference as you or Gohan, but I try the best as I can to save as many lives as possible. And for a human like me, it's the most I could do."

"I think you already do more than what I could ever do…," Trunks trailed off weakly. He wrapped his arms around his legs, turning his head in the opposite direction of Videl.

"You really gotta stop the pity party there, Trunks." She paused and waited for Trunks to turn and face her. "Gohan really believes in you, and so do I. You're gonna be a hero someday."

* * *

><p>It took Gohan exactly one week to recover from his injuries. Bulma kept marveling at how quickly he and all of the other saiyans always healed compared to humans. Losing an arm would have taken the strongest human months to recover from, yet Gohan was back on his feet and already training.<p>

Although, Trunks mused, Gohan had changed. It was almost like he was always lost in thought. He'd become so serious, hardly ever cracking jokes anymore. He didn't even make fun of Trunks anymore, and that really made the half-saiyan worry. It was their thing. They were like brothers, and older brothers always teased the younger one. At least, that's what Trunks had always thought from the movies he and his mom watched together.

Without the teasing and the joking…what were they? Were they just mentor and student? How boring! Besides, Gohan was the only friend Trunks had. Without that, he only had one other person in the world, and that was his mother. Well, he did have Videl too. She'd practically become his sister.

Still, he just wanted to talk to his big brother and see what was up with him. Maybe something was wrong and Trunks could help. Anything to get him back to normal again.

He walked with purpose down the corridors of Capsule Corp. with these thoughts in mind.

"You're lucky I'm no pushover. If I were any other girl you would've driven me away the first second I met you."

Trunks stopped dead in his tracks. No doubt about it; that was definitely Videl. He quietly tiptoed up to the open door of Gohan's room and carefully peeked in to see what was going on. There was a long and awkward silence; neither Gohan nor Videl could look each other in the eye. Their gazes were fixed on random spots in the room, and Trunks could only hope that Gohan was too preoccupied with his thoughts to sense his presence.

"You're no ordinary girl though, are you?" Gohan replied. "I'm…I'm ending this," Gohan said suddenly.

Trunks' eyes widened in surprise. He quickly moved further away from the door to hide himself better, but stayed close enough so that he could hear Gohan and Videl talking.

"What exactly are you ending?" Videl replied softly, almost as though she was afraid to hear the answer to that question.

"Us. You and me. We're not together anymore."

"What? You…you think I'll just stand here and let you? It takes two people to make that decision!"

"No. It takes two people to make a relationship work. It only takes one to end it."

"You're serious. But…why? I've always taken our relationship seriously and so have you. I love you." There was a pause. "Don't you love me anymore?" she asked so quietly that it was barely above a whisper.

Trunks could hear Gohan take a deep breath and some shuffling footsteps.

"I never really loved you to begin with."

"No…"

"Before I met you, I'd cut off all ties with my family and friends…"

"No."

"All I had was the fighting. The battles."

"No!"

"I was alone. I just wanted someone…"

"_NO!_"

Before anyone knew it, there was a loud smack echoing throughout the halls of Capsule Corp. The entire building seemed to be waiting for someone to break the tension.

"You have no idea how much I hate you right now, Gohan Son."

Those were the last words she said to him.

Trunks couldn't believe his ears. Videl was gone, just like that. She'd no longer be a part of Gohan's life anymore. She'd probably no longer be a part of his life either. Just like that, he'd lost his sister and he barely even had a brother anymore. Why? Why did it have to happen like that? Why did he have to lose two people he cared about so much? It just wasn't fair.

"I know you're there, Trunks."

The half-saiyan stopped hiding by the door and stepped into Gohan's room with his head bowed down. Videl had already left through the balcony of the room.

"Did you really mean what you said just now?" Trunks asked meekly.

Gohan had his back turned towards Trunks. The older man was staring out through the doors of the balcony that had been hastily pushed open.

"What did you feel when you fought the androids?" he asked suddenly.

"What? But…uh…"

"What did you feel?" Gohan demanded again, louder.

"Uh…I felt…I don't know! There was so much adrenaline going through me…I don't know how to describe it. I was…scared, excited, angry. I…"

"That was your first real battle, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, I guess so…"

There was a slight pause before Gohan abruptly turned to face Trunks. The sheer intensity of his eyes made Trunks stiffen.

"From now on, you take training seriously."

"What? But I already have been…"

"No more joking around. I'll train you every chance I get. You're going to spend every second of your day training, from dawn until dusk whether I'm there or not."

"And the androids?"

"Let me take care of that."

"But…that's just crazy! You've only got one arm left now! We'd have a better chance if we fight together."

"We'd both die if we fought together!" Gohan shouted. "You're humanity's last hope now, Trunks."

"But that's just…way too much pressure on a kid like me!"

"Too much pressure?" Gohan stepped forward to grab Trunks' collar, lifting him off his feet. "Too much pressure is when you're ten years old and your father dies in front of your eyes. Too much pressure is when three months later, a pair of androids goes around destroying and killing everything you've ever come to know and love. When you feel duty-bound to go and fight these androids 'cause hey, you've already fought off alien invasions and participated in too many battles for you to count off the top of your head anyways. Too much pressure is when one by one, all of your friends that you've known since birth die around you and you're the only one left who has a chance to beat these guys!"

Trunks' grip had been tightly wound around the arm that Gohan was holding him with, so when Gohan forcefully let him go he fell back with his arms flailing wildly. He landed ungracefully on his rear end with a thud. Yet Gohan kept going.

"Too much pressure is when, years later, you realize that you're not the one meant to destroy them because you're going to die fighting them. When you cut off any and all ties with the only family you have left because you don't want to see them get hurt. When you've met the love of your life and rip her heart out because she'd have a better chance of surviving without you. Too much pressure is when…is when you have to put the fate of the world on a teenager's shoulder because sooner or later, you're gonna lose against the androids, just like all of the others before you. That, Trunks, is too much pressure."

"I…," Trunks managed to stutter as he shook with fear. "I'm…no! That's just…that's too much to handle!"

His entire life, he'd had no idea that Gohan was so broken. He'd always been someone that Trunks always looked up to and admired. Gohan was supposed to be the guy that always had the answers to everything, to _life_. Sure, since Trunks was older now he realized that it was irrational to think like that, but the great thing about childhood idols was that it was easy to cling to those innocent thoughts. It was just so much easier seeing Gohan as the perfect big brother that he was, just like they're like in movies, rather than a real person who had so much pain in his heart.

"No! I just…this isn't fair! _It's not fair!_"

"Not fair, huh?" Gohan laughed bitterly. "Please. Why don't you go crying to the androids then? Let's see what they do."

Trunks hated those androids. Hated them more than any other soul in the universe and beyond. It was strange, really. It almost seemed like…he'd never known rage. Gohan had always said that he was close to reaching super saiyan, that he had the skill, but Trunks always lacked pure, raw emotion.

Until this moment.

With all the adrenaline and newfound rage pumping through his very core, Trunks didn't even realize that he'd blasted Gohan through the balcony until he felt the smoke and dust entering his nostrils and the shards of glass from the sliding door hit his face.

He clenched his fists together. He was far from done.

Trunks flew out of the building to find Gohan, but the older half-saiyan was nowhere to be found in the debris. As he kept looking, he realized that there wasn't nearly enough wreckage from the balcony to cover Gohan's body entirely, but it was already too late when he felt himself being thrown to the ground.

The young teenager was struggling to get up when Gohan appeared beside him and landed another punch to his side. He flew through the air so quickly that Trunks could've sworn he was going faster than the speed of light. He opened his eyes and spread his body out to stop himself from flying any further. Sensing Gohan coming in his direction, he quickly made a defensive position to block the attack.

It was his turn.

Trunks' greatest skill was his ability to adapt. Even though Gohan was so much stronger than he was, Trunks was able to determine which areas to target in his opponents without even thinking about it. It was simply a subconscious and natural talent.

His heart still racing a mile a minute, he rigorously landed punch after punch, kick after kick, all with varying amounts of force put behind them. He was beginning to settle into a particular rhythm when Gohan made an opening for himself that Trunks should have seen but was too preoccupied to notice. Gohan's swinging kick was about to make contact, but Trunks evaded it just in time.

The two men flew back for some space which gave both of them the perfect opportunity to create their own ki blasts. Gohan's was able to penetrate through Trunks' after a close stalemate, and the young half-saiyan was blasted to the ground when the force of Gohan's ki blast was too overwhelming for him to handle.

It took Trunks a few moments to catch his breath again, and by the time he was able to sit up properly, Gohan was already standing dangerously over him, holding his only arm out with another ki blast in the palm of his hand ready to fire any second.

They stared at each other for the longest time, neither of them moving even an inch. Trunks had lost, and his blood was no longer racing wildly through his veins.

"I'm…I'm sorry," Trunks mumbled.

The ki blast dissipated and Gohan lowered his arm as his eyebrows went upwards in confusion.

"What for?"

"For everything you've been through. For…well, attacking you just now."

To Trunks' surprise, Gohan started laughing. It started out as a low chuckle, then grew louder and louder. He hadn't heard Gohan laugh in what seemed like such a long time. Trunks was almost glad, but something about the man's laugh seemed so wrong. It almost grew maniacal as though he had gone mad.

"Are…you alright?" Trunks asked timidly as he averted his eyes away from Gohan.

It wasn't long before Gohan's laughter finally died down and he collapsed to the ground with his arms and legs spread out around him.

"It's alright, kid. I needed that, really. Thanks."

"Uh…you're welcome?"

Trunks wasn't sure if he should be scared or relieved.

"What about Videl?"

"I had to cut her out…just like everyone else in my life. I was naive to think things could be different. I had my time with her, but like everything else it had to come to an end eventually. And for Videl and me, it just came sooner than others. You know, if we were in another time then maybe it would've worked out…but not this one."

"Did you really have to cut her out? I mean, you never cut me or my mom out."

Gohan sat up and looked Trunks in the eye.

"That's because you're our last hope. You're the only person left in this world who can defeat the androids now, and I have to be here to help you along the way."

"Gohan, I don't think I can. You're putting too much faith in me," Trunks admitted bitterly, clenching his fists together and looking down at his lap.

The older man smiled gently at Trunks. "Have faith in yourself. I know you can do it."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Yes."

As Trunks took in the image of his mentor and best friend, barely recovering from losing his arm and his love for the sake of the world, yet still hopeful and so determined, he couldn't help but think that he was right.

"Let's go."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Annotations:<strong>

I think I kinda suck for breaking them up...but at the same time it seems appropriate. I hope I did all of these characters justice. The Mirai timeline is just so fascinating with so many possibilities of what may have happened before Trunks went back in time. I wanted to write about all of their losses, pain, and sacrifices. I only hope that it turned out alright.

Thanks for reading this far guys. Please don't forget to leave a review!


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